For A Friend
by raysofsunshine09
Summary: What would you sacrifice for a friend? A Ron/Hermione and Harry fic.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related media etc. etc. If you recognize it, it's not mine. that said, please enjoy :)

Great sobs wracked her narrow shoulders. Her doe brown eyes pressed and hidden behind her hands where shimmering tears now spilled. Bushy brown hair pulled back in an attempt to control the tangle now leapt lose from its bonds, dancing down around her face and hands.

Harry had to fight off his own tears. He touched her back gently, trying to convey comfort through his fingertips. "Hermione…" he murmured, managing to keep his voice steady. Suddenly she was clinging to him. Her arms trembled where she'd laced them around his neck. He could feel her hot tears soaking into his shoulder.

Her full, round belly was pressed between them and the baby, Ron's baby, was kicking a restless drumbeat against Harry's chest. It was as if the unborn child knew already of the calamity.

_The clouds covered the full moon, jealously hiding her face from the world. There was the lingering threat of rain, but only the wind tickled the pink noses of passersby who braved the cold. _

_It was a typical Thursday. Boy's night at the Leaky Caldron. Harry, Neville, George, and Ron nursed their drinks while joking and chattering about their wives, their jobs, and generally nothing of consequence. A hag glared at anyone who would look her way, apparently cursing the pub in general for its rambunctious occupants, and toothless old Tom, who never seemed to change, cheerfully polished glasses behind the bar._

_Suddenly the chill night air was rent apart by an earsplitting scream. The young men leapt to their feet as one, the smiles wiped cleanly from their faces. _

"_Stay here." Harry said, his voice commanding as he waved at Tom and the others in the bar to remain in relative safety while he went to discover the reason for the scream._

_Before he could take one step towards the back alley that led to the wizarding world, someone appeared, blocking the doorway. His face was pale, marred by a mask of anger and hatred. _

_A ruckus immediately took up from where the man had entered. _

"_What's going on?" _

"_What's happened?" _

"_Is everything alright?" Harry, George and Neville spoke at the same instant. Without an answer, the wizard raised his wand, his reflexes those of a striking snake. He made a quick slashing movement, still not speaking a word, and a bright light exploded from the tip of his wand. As he moved, a slight, evil smirk began to pull up at the corners of his mouth, causing a ghastly scar to stretch through his lips and chin. _

_ Before Harry or the others had time to think, Ron was pushing his friends back, pushing himself before the danger. Neville, not expecting the sudden push, flew backwards skidding across a table and into the wall. Harry stumbled backwards, tripping over George and falling to his backside bringing the redhead down with him. _

_ The light from the spell was blinding as it spread out where Harry had been standing only seconds before. Harry felt himself flying through the air and he covered his head protectively with his arms. The building seemed to be rending itself apart from the very foundation. "Get everyone out!" someone cried desperately. Looking back, Harry thought it sounded curiously like Ron's voice. _

_Stones from the ceiling began to crumble onto their heads. The confused rush to escape left Harry separated from the others. _

_His head throbbed, but still he pressed through the throng of muggles gathered about the spectacle. It sounded as if someone had called the police. Distant sirens blared closer._

"_Neville! George!" Harry cried, breathlessly jubilant to have found them at last. "What the hell happened?" _

"_I dunno," George replied, shaking his head, "Couldn't see anything after the blast."_

_Neville appeared to shaken to speak. It was a fear that hadn't plagued him in over fifteen years. When he found his voice, it was to utter a single word. It was a whisper, so soft that Harry had to lean closer in order to hear. _

"_Ron..." _

Once the muggles and their authorities had been cleared away, it was possible to access the smoking ruins of the Leaky Caldron. Miraculously, the buildings to either side of the tiny pub were unharmed.

Neville had been the only one to see the blast of light catch Ron squarely in the chest. That contact had been the cause of the explosion. The body of the scarred wizard hadn't been found.

He didn't notice the tears silently tracing wet trails down his cheeks to disappear gently into Hermione's hair. The fault rested heavily on his shoulders, and yet Hermione hadn't seemed to realize this truth.

"H-Harry…" she moaned, her shoulders shaking harder, "W-what do I do without him??"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Hermione, wait, please!" Hermione ignored his desperate cry. "I don't even know what I did wr-" A sharp glare from his wife cut Ron's words short. A deep rosy blush colored his ears, shining through the freckles over his pale skin. "Ok, so it was bad. I'm horrible, a bloody horrible husband. And insensitive too!" he rushed ahead a little, placing both hands on her shoulders to hold her back.

Hermione stopped only because Ron stood in her way. Her arms were crossed and her lips were drawn in a thin line of anger. "But won't you please tell me what I did wrong?" he stood for a moment, holding her shoulders, but Hermione only glared. "You're not going to talk to me until we get inside…" Ron surmised. His only answer was slightly raised eyebrows. "Right…" Ron answered, stepping quickly out of her way.

Hermione stormed into the house. They lived in a little village that consisted of other young magical couples. The house was small, but beautiful and perfect. The Potters lived just down the road and Ron and Hermione were often over for dinner as Ginny had managed to inherit her mother's mastery in the kitchen, though she'd added her own spunk to every dish.

Ron wearily entered the front door of their home. He was surprised that Hermione hadn't locked him out again. The last time he hadn't been able to break the charm she'd put on the lock, and he had slept on the front porch until she allowed him to come back inside. The house seemed to be in order, nothing was broken, and then he heard Hermione's cursing coming from the kitchen. Sidling carefully to the doorway, Ron peered around the corner, trying not to catch her attention. Her back was turned to him and everything, from the set of her shoulders, to the way she was furiously scrubbing at the tiles of the kitchen counter displayed her anger and her frustration. But for what?

Ron cautiously entered the kitchen. "Hermione?" he ventured, his voice soft and smooth. "You wanna talk to me now babe?" Hermione turned abruptly, and Ron was surprised to see the tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks. "Hermione…" Ron said, flabbergasted. He couldn't help but take the few long strides to his wife to wrap his arms around her. He pulled her into his chest and he felt her shoulders begin to shake uncontrollably as her tears overwhelmed her.

"No..." Hermione moaned softly, trying to push away. She was still angry and she wasn't ready to forgive him yet. "You're so stupid…" she murmured into his shoulder. She tried to pull away again, but Ron's strong arms encircled her and he wouldn't release her. "I know…" Ron answered in a whisper. He held her against him, stroking her hair and her back, trying to make her tears fade away. Finally, Hermione gave up trying to escape, and instead she collapsed against him, allowing the tears and the sobs to wrack her small frame.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Ron spoke softly into her hair. She'd finally managed to ease her sobs. Her breath caught in her chest once or twice, but Ron was gently brushing her tears away. "I know I'm stupid. I'm a bloody idiot most of the time." Hermione was resting against him as he'd managed to lead her to the couch in the sitting room. He paused to stroke a piece of her hair away from her eyes. He pulled it gently and tucked it behind her ear. "But no matter what I say, and no matter what I do, I'll always love you." Her head rested against his chest, and she could feel the strong beating of his heart ringing comfortingly against her eardrums. She felt his lips against her forehead and she felt tears well dangerously in her eyes again.

His fingers trailing up and down her neck were raising pleasant goose pimples all over her skin, and suddenly Hermione couldn't remember why she had been so angry moments before. She pushed herself up, stretching to reach her lips to his. The fire ignited between them, rushing over her skin until the tip of every single nerve was burning. She pulled him gently until he was lying long way across the couch, and she was pressed against him, every inch of them connected by fire.

* * *

Hermione trailed her fingers gently over the taut expanse of her belly, the memories of the child's conception rushing fresh through her memories. Her shirt was pulled up just under her breasts so that her smooth stomach was exposed. She hardly noticed the tears trickling from the corners of her eyes as she lay on their bed, missing the warmth of Ron beside her. It felt like too much space, as if she had grown smaller in his absence, and now she was trapped in this empty place that surrounded her and suffocated her with its emptiness. She felt a gentle movement from inside and she held the palm of her hand over the tiny foot pressed against her ribs.


End file.
